U.S. Customs and Border Protections to Equip Agents in Vests Made with DuPont™ Kevlar®

LAS VEGAS - DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems today announced that the United States Customs and Border Protections Border Patrol has signed a multi-year agreement to outfit the majority of its 11,000-plus agents with protective vests containing DuPont™ Kevlar® Comfort XLT™ technology. Vest manufacturer, U.S. Armor, delivered the first shipment of vests to the Customs and Border Protections (CBP) Border Patrol earlier this month.

Patrolling the 6,000 miles of Mexican and Canadian international land borders and 2,000 miles of coastal waters surrounding the Florida Peninsula has become an even greater priority in the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, 2001. As the mobile uniformed law enforcement arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), CBP Border Patrol has responded by seeking and deploying specialized technologies to assist its agents, including the latest advances in personal body armor.

"As the single, unified border agency of the United States, Customs and Border Protections (CBP) mission is vitally important to the protection of the American people and our front-line enforcement personnel," said Assistant Chief Woody Lee, program manager, CBP Border Patrol National Body Armor Program. "It is essential for us to partner with companies who display longstanding commitments to reliability and quality."

"DuPont™ Kevlar® brand fiber has a history of proven performances spanning more than 30 years. Kevlar® Comfort XLT™ technology, our latest Kevlar® advance for the ballistic market, allows vests to be at least 25 percent lighter than current all-aramid fabric designs while maintaining specialists, DuPont Advanced Fibers Systems. "For CBP Border Patrol agents, many of whom spend all day on their feet working in extreme weather conditions, Kevlar® Comfort XLT™ will help provide the protection they need without sacrificing the freedom of movement required to do their jobs effectively."

"At U.S. Armor, we are fully committed to a single mission: producing the finest armor products available in the world today," said Stephen Armellino, president, U.S. Armor. "After integrating Kevlar® Comfort XLT™ into our vest design and exposing it to rigorous testing procedures, we found the vest demonstrated excellent multi-hit capability and trauma performance. We are particularly happy with the weight and comfort of the vest relative to the high level of performance."

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

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